Gasses, such as air, or liquids may become contaminated or polluted by harmful or potentially harmful substances such as particles which are radioactive, toxic or biologically active. The contaminated or polluted fluids typically need to be decontaminated or cleaned before they are permitted to circulate through an air circulation system or are released into the atmosphere.
Removal of contaminants is of particular concern in air ventilation or circulation systems, biological laboratories, and industry. For instance, ventilation or air circulation systems circulate air within enclosed spaces such as buildings. Often, circulating air carries contaminants such as dust and other particulate matter. It is desirable to remove dust and particulate matter before recirculating the air to provide air that is clean for breathing.
Many biological laboratories include sealed processing rooms. During handling, testing, or observation of biological agents, harmful biological substances may become airborne. These airborne biological agents must be removed from the air inside the sealed room before the air can be released from the sealed room.
Factories and industrial plants generate wastes as a byproduct of the manufacturing or industrial processes. These wastes often take the form of particles which are impure, radioactive, toxic or biologically active in combination with liquids or gasses, including air. It is desirable to remove the particulate wastes from the gasses or liquids before discharging the gasses or liquids into the atmosphere.
Filters have become accepted devices to remove the particulate waste from gasses or liquids. Typically, the filter seats in a filter housing where the filter traps dust and other particulate matter in the fluid that passes through the housing while permitting the filtered fluids, whether gaseous or liquid, to flow through the filter and out of the housing. The filtered fluid is then released into the atmosphere or is recirculated through the system.
However, over time and through use, the filter becomes laden with the particulate waste and contaminants and must be replaced to maintain an acceptable level of filtration of the fluid. Typically, the change out of a contaminated filter involves opening the filter housing, disengaging a contaminated filter from registry with the housing, removing the contaminated filter into a change out bag, replacing the contaminated filter with an installed clean filter, securing the clean filter into the housing, and resealing the housing. These steps are labor intensive and require careful attention.
Of particular concern during replacement of the filter is that the interior of the housing remains contaminated with wastes. Attempts have been made to develop systems and mechanisms for protecting maintenance workers from contamination when replacing the contaminated filters. Notwithstanding these developments and concerns, the filter housings are open during filter change-outs. These systems and mechanisms continue to require the workers to perform numerous steps while exposed to the contaminated filter or the interior of the contaminated filter housing.
Accordingly, a need exists in the art for an apparatus and method that minimizes the number of steps required to be completed within the contaminated filter housing when replacing or changing out a filter by providing a locking device that secures filters yet is operable to an unsecured position from outside the housing and thereby reducing the time and steps necessary for the filter housing to be open during filter change out. It is to such that the present invention is directed.